topic Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT in Community Chat

SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Oznell — Thu, 29 May 2025 12:23:58 GMT

Well, I guess it's "fun" in a sort of "nerd-ish" way, but hey...

President Grover Cleveland -- born in 1837, and first elected in 1884-- is now the earliest elected President with a LIVING granchild!

Cleveland, in his younger years.

His grandchild, George Cleveland, was born in 1952.

It's wild to me to think that a presidential grandchild is alive today ( one hopes, in his hale and hearty early 70's), whose grandfather was *in office* in the 1880's.

But I'm sure that's much more common than I realized at first.

Glad there's somebody somewhere who keeps track of this stuff. History is closer than we think....

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Lakelife62 — Thu, 29 May 2025 12:42:13 GMT

This person died on May 25th. He was 95 or 96 years old.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Pyrite2616 — Thu, 29 May 2025 12:47:44 GMT

@Lakelife62 wrote:
This person died on May 25th. He was 95 or 96 years old.

It was John Tyler's grandson, Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who died on Sunday, not Grover Cleveland's.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Lakelife62 — Thu, 29 May 2025 12:50:41 GMT

@Pyrite2616 wrote:
@Lakelife62 wrote:
This person died on May 25th. He was 95 or 96 years old.
It was John Tyler's grandson, Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who died on Sunday, not Grover Cleveland's.

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't aware there was more than one living grandchild. Hooray for longevity.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

ciao_bella — Thu, 29 May 2025 13:21:19 GMT

Cleveland’s real first name was Stephen, not Grover. He used his middle name of Grover as an adult; maybe he tired of using the name “Stephen Cleveland” in grade school?

His first career was as a teacher. Cleveland was a teacher at the New York Institute for the Blind in Manhattan before deciding to pursue a legal career.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

PhilaLady1 — Thu, 29 May 2025 13:35:10 GMT

I like historical information. I am a bit nerdy, too. He is handsome in his earlier photo. Dare I say hot? 😁

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Oznell — Thu, 29 May 2025 16:24:18 GMT

Ha, ha, that's cute, @PhilaLady1 !

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Oznell — Thu, 29 May 2025 16:31:40 GMT

@ciao_bella , very interesting! I think your surmise about why he may have switched to "Grover" sounds plausible.

I wonder if some parents name their children with an eye to how it would sound "for a president"? Never hurts to think ahead....

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

cindyNC — Thu, 29 May 2025 17:19:07 GMT

I just did a search on the grandson. In an interview he mentions he belongs to a group called The Society of Presidential Descendants.

What is the Society of Presidential Descendants?

The Society of Presidential Descendants is a group of individuals with a direct lineage to one or more of the forty-six United States Presidents. The Society provides an opportunity for presidential descendants to share a comradery amongst each other and to promote educational opportunities.

Who leads the Society of Presidential Descendants?

The Society of Presidential Descendants is led by a Board of Trustees. The current officers are: Tweed Roosevelt, President; Massee McKinley, Vice President and Chief of Staff; Lynda Johnson Robb, Vice President; Clifton Truman Daniel, Vice President.

Can anyone become a member?

In order to be eligible to join the Society, you must be either a direct or collateral descendant of a President of the United States, or become a friend/student friend of The Society of Presidential Descendants. The Board of Trustees must approve the application of admission.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Love my grandkids — Thu, 29 May 2025 18:37:46 GMT

@cindyNC Just want to share a little factoid.

Back in the late 60's I was working as a teller at B of A at the (long gone) LAX branch. (It's now a Post Office distribution center). A very attractive young woman was in my line and all she wanted was change for a $20, just some 5's and singles.

Standing behind her were two serious looking men in dark suits looking all around. I asked her (I was only 18) did anyone ever tell you that you look just like Lynda Byrd Johnson?

She just smiled and said yes they do. She thanked me and left. The next day I read in the L.A. Times that she had been in So.Cal. the previous day. It was really exciting to have met her.

She was very very pretty in person, much more so than in photographs. And had a gorgeous smle.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Oznell — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:18:57 GMT

@cindyNC , what interesting information, thank you for posting that! I wouldn't have realized that that society would consider even "collateral" descendants ( as opposed to only direct descendants). I'd wager that lets a whole lot more people in! Love hearing about that.

I bet their meetings are fun, ha.

@Love my grandkids , that must have been an exciting sighting that you had of her. Agreed, she was very pretty, and I'm sure, gracious too.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Love my grandkids — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:24:30 GMT

@Oznell I pretty much figured it was her but didn't want to come right out and ask. I think she knew that i knew. She was tall and had a really nice figure and was dressed kind of dressy casual. I was excited to tell my family about it.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

shoekitty — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:28:42 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
@cindyNC Just want to share a little factoid.

Back in the late 60's I was working as a teller at B of A at the (long gone) LAX branch. (It's now a Post Office distribution center). A very attractive young woman was in my line and all she wanted was change for a $20, just some 5's and singles.

Standing behind her were two serious looking men in dark suits looking all around. I asked her (I was only 18) did anyone ever tell you that you look just like Lynda Byrd Johnson?

She just smiled and said yes they do. She thanked me and left. The next day I read in the L.A. Times that she had been in So.Cal. the previous day. It was really exciting to have met her.

She was very very pretty in person, much more so than in photographs. And had a gorgeous smle.

@cindyNC She was a remarkable woman actually. I think she hadn't received the credit due her until lately. It was a hard president y with the Viet Nam War.

Re: SURPRISING AND FUN HISTORICAL FACT

Fribwl — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:59:01 GMT

All of these have been very interesting. Loved reading them.